1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for avoiding network communication conflict and method for the same, and more particularly to an apparatus for avoiding Internet Key Exchange (IKE) process conflict and method for the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the increasing prevalence of the Internet, communication and encryption technology are also under extensive research. Among encryption techniques, Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) is a very attractive encryption and tunnel methodology because of its low cost and excellent security. Therefore, IPSec is extensively used for business application.
FIG. 1(a) shows a prior art IPSec topology, wherein a first gateway 101 functioning as an initiator communicates with a second gateway 102 functioning as a responder through an Internet Key Exchange (IKE) communication protocol.
More particularly, the first gateway 101 functioning as an initiator is connected with a second gateway 102 functioning as a responder through a channel 103. The communication based on IKE protocol is established through a PING-PONG process, where the first gateway 101 continues sending IKE request packet to the second gateway 102 and the second gateway 102 responses the IKE request packet. The PING-PONG process is performed until the communication channel is established.
However, a conflict situation occurs when the second gateway 102 also functions as an initiator. As shown in FIG. 1(b), there are two gateways sending the IKE request packet 104 and the IKE request packet 105 simultaneously and an error time happens.
The conventional solution to this error condition is to wait for the error time or the IKE request packet is continuously sent. However, this will result in slowing down IKE communication or even network congestion. In worse scenario, the IKE communication is failed or an excessive long time is needed to establish the IKE communication.
Therefore, solutions for solving the conflict problem for current IPSec topology are desirable.